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author Joao Pedro Silva
     
subjectWild life
title Nudibranch
date7/30/2010 5:49:56 AM
detailsA fairly "large" (almost 2cm long) Polycera faeroensis borrowing some color from the surrounding sponge.
These nudibranchs are almost transparent and one can even see the animal's internal anatomy.
The bright yellow gills, rhinophores and oral processes suggest an aposematic strategy (warning colors) but the translucent body also suggest the ultimate mimicry as it doesn't need to adopt the colors of the background: one actually sees the background right through the nudibranch's body.

Shot in Berlengas, Portugal, some 10m deep using a Canon EOS 350D in Ikelite housing, Canon 100mm macro, f/18, 1/200s, ISO 100, Nikonos SB-105 strobe on manual.
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1 Joao Pedro Silva     (7/30/2010 5:52:14 AM)
One of the eyes .
Genital opening .
Pharynx (mouth is underneath) .
2 bert     (7/30/2010 7:08:03 AM)
an amazing capture again, I love to see your posts,and a super wtite up. regards bert
3 Jeff Brown UK     (7/30/2010 7:59:49 AM)
Yes thank you joao, makes you wonder how these came into existance.
4 herman blockx   (7/30/2010 8:18:05 AM)
very nice one , Joao! love the orange bg that sets off this beautifully colored snail so well,
5 Joao Pedro Silva     (7/30/2010 10:09:14 AM)
#2 bert: Thanks, Bert!
#3 Jeff Brown UK: Thanks, Jeff! Nudibranchs evolved from marine gastropod molluscs which lost their protective shell and developed other types of defensive mechanisms: mimicry (camouflage), mechanical defense (integrating calcareous or siliceous spicules from prey sponges), chemical defense (producing or extracting poisonous or distasteful substances from their prey), biochemical defense (integrating, maturing and keeping alive and functional stinging cells from prey) and aposematism ("announcing", usually by means of color, they're poisonous, distasteful or at least not edible).
#4 herman blockx: Thanks, Herman! I have many shots of this species but what I think makes this one more striking is precisely the background. Glad you enjoyed it!
=1
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